Brunch is always a good idea!

14 Nov 201705:17am IST

14 Nov 201705:17am IST

Report byDon Jevonn

Don Jevonn is Herald’s in-house food critic. He (or is it she?) will appear incognito, sample wares from off the menu and then leave, having paid the bill in full. For Don Jevonn is one of Goa’s quintessential characters and believes that in order to be objective, he must appear to be your average diner

A
long, leisurely brunch is a great way to

unwind over the weekend, especially after a long Saturday night.
Brunches are ideal on Sunday afternoons, when breakfast is out of question and
it’s too early to have lunch. There is nothing more comforting than waking up
to a lovely, laid back brunch on a lazy day, not to mention, it makes for a
great socially acceptable excuse for day drinking. And while India may have not
invented the concept of brunch, restaurants and star properties in the country
have gladly embraced it.

Living in Goa has its perks aplenty and a small one of them is
the convenience of heading to a Sunday brunch on a breezy morning. And speaking
of breezy mornings and lazy Sundays, the southern part of the state does it a
wee bit better than its northern counterpart. Nestled in the white sands of
Utorda Beach, Kenilworth Resort and Spa is redoing a few things and doing them
right this time around. Despite being one of the oldest resort properties in
Goa, the resort property had been functioning sort of discreetly, as opposed to
its more flamboyant competition situated across the northern and southern beach
belt. That is until now, as a few changes in the management has led to the
introduction of a brand new, hip Sunday brunch that they are calling ‘11:11
Brunch’.

We’re still not sure
about the fascination with the number 11. For starters, the 11:11 Brunch begins
at the stroke of 11.11 am. Then, there are 11 live stations, 11 activities for
adults and kids and 11 concoctions that the bar has skilfully mixed for
unlimited feasting and a delightful noon, apart from the extravagant spread of
international cuisine and live music. And while we’re at the topic of 11, let’s
get the price out of the way too – the one with unlimited food and non-alcoholic
drinks will set you back by Rs 1111 plus taxes, and the one with unlimited food
and alcoholic drinks, costs Rs 1750 plus taxes, per adult. We’re talking about
an unlimited supply of fluffy desserts, grilled seafood and meats, pastas and
wood-fired pizzas, sunny cocktails and the works. It’s more than just a
morning-after meal; the 11:11 Brunch is as fancy as it gets.

Brunches are much
more than food – it is about relaxing and indulging yourself. At the 11:11
Brunch, there are 11 activities to keep a smile plastered on your face - aqua
zorbing, paintball, fighter zorb, shooting, archery, table tennis, giant
outdoor chess, carrom, cycling, etc. And while the kids could still have a busy
time at the supervised kids zone watching movies, drawing, making cards and
craft, the adults can also indulge in soothing spa treatments at a 50% discount
when booked a day in advance.

Several
five-star and resort properties in Goa offer Sunday brunches but to say that
all of them do it the right way, would be an exaggeration. Sprawling across 15
acres, offering delicious food and featuring a 14,000 sq ft pool that includes
lap pool, kiddies pool, toddler pool with slide (we’re also told that it is one
of the only child friendly resorts in Goa), the resort property is pristine and
just the place you’d want to be on a lazy Sunday. Kenilworth Resort and Spa may
have missed the spice in their action for long, but with the 11:11 Brunch, it
has made quite the comeback.